Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, South Africa’s largest exporter of apples and pears, has announced the appointment of Johan Brink and Calla du Toit to its board of directors.
With over 20 years of experience each within the company, both individuals bring valuable institutional knowledge, a strategic outlook, and strong relationships with the grower community.
Their appointments come at a crucial time as Tru-Cape sharpens its focus on expanding within Africa, growing its local market share, and fostering partnerships with non-shareholder producers.
A new chapter for African and local markets
Tru-Cape is strengthening its presence both within Africa and locally, and has opened a new office in Paarl to support this vision.
Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, says: “We see massive scope for growth in Africa and want to build our African and local desk into a strong, independently driven business unit. We’ve recently opened a new office in Paarl to support this vision. Johan Brink will lead this initiative, bringing a wealth of experience and strategic clarity.”
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Brink, who will spearhead the local and African market drive, highlights the brand’s solid foundation in these markets. “We’ve built strong loyalty, and now we have the opportunity to grow beyond apples and pears to include other commodities under the Tru-Cape brand,” Brink said.
He believes that having a solid foundation in the local market contributes significantly to the company’s overall success. Brink explains that excelling locally improves customer service and strengthens the brand’s global reputation. By truly understanding what local consumers care about, be it health, sustainability, or where a product comes from, the company can offer more relevant products that may even justify a higher price.
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Unlocking growth through non-shareholder partnerships
In addition to its local and regional ambitions, Tru-Cape is looking to non-shareholder growers, those who supply fruit but do not hold equity in the business, as a critical growth opportunity.
“As procurement manager, Calla du Toit is ideally positioned to lead this effort. His understanding of grower relationships, market dynamics, and the industry’s long-term direction makes him a perfect fit,” Pienaar said.
According to Pienaar, Brink is known for his vision, practical leadership, and ability to align daily operations with long-term goals. He prioritises team development and maintains a close connection to market needs. Meanwhile, Du Toit brings a hands-on approach to his work, often walking orchards in search of new fruit mutations.
Du Toit expressed optimism about the future, highlighting the significant potential to unlock added value, especially within the next five to fifteen years. He noted that each season introduces new factors, such as shifts in tariffs, that can open up opportunities for specific fruit varieties.
He noted that the Langkloof and Free State regions are strong sources of non-shareholder supply. “At the beginning of this year, we were able to seize excellent market opportunities using Free State fruit, as our own fruit had sold out by December.
“Supply from non-shareholder growers dovetails with that of our shareholders, allowing us to meet retail demand and fulfil programmes, in a time where retailers are increasingly interested in getting involved with us.”
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